# Assessing a Novel Virtual Environment that Primes Individuals Living with AD/ADRD to Accomplish Activities of Daily Living.

> **NIH NIH R43** · MENTIA DTX, INC. · 2023 · $84,862

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and its related dementias (AD/ADRD) is growing due to increasing
longevity and larger older-age populations. Care challenges to maintain the health and quality of life for
persons living with dementia (PLWD) also creates a parallel health problem of persistent caregiver job stress
leading to high staff turnover, additional risks to client and staff wellbeing, and higher operational costs.
Improving the rate of completion of activities of daily living (ADL) has a known positive impact on the quality of
life, health, and healthcare costs. Yet consistently completing ADLs, and without stress, remains a challenge.
We hypothesize that undertaking virtual ADL activities will positively impact actual ADL activities resulting in
more manageable and more efficient ADL completion, decreasing caregiver stress and improving the health,
dignity, and quality of life for PLWD.
Mentia is an early-stage digital health company that has developed DevaWorld™, a novel technology platform
focused on improving behavioral health for people impacted by AD/ADRD. DevaWorld is unique in that it is
designed for care dyads, with the PLWD being an active participant even though their cognitive decline may be
severe. The platform consists of a media-rich 3D virtual home with interactive engagement stimuli that build
communication within the care dyad and foster a sense of agency and identity. The proposed work aims to
demonstrate tolerance and acceptance of DevaWorld and assess the impact of virtual ADL activities on both
partners of the care dyad, paying particular attention to how the consistent rehearsal of ADLs inside
DevaWorld by PWLD reduces caregiver stress.
This work has two aims:
Aim 1: Expand DevaWorld to include environments and activities most often cited as challenges to ADL
completion. We hypothesize that players can prepare to perform ADLs via virtual world interactions. This aim
entails co-designing settings, activities, and interactive avatar actions within DevaWorld to prime the player in
selected ADLs.
Aim 2: Demonstrate acceptance and feasibility of DevaWorld in a residential care setting. Qualitative
assessments using ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) and quantitative measures of independence
through ADL scale assessments will be used to study the impact of the cohort’s virtual ADLs on their actual
ADLs (AIM 1). In this two-site study, the first outcome will be dyads’ acceptance and feasibility of DevaWorld in
a real-world setting. The second outcome will measure DevaWorld’s potential for reducing anxiety within the
dyad, leading to more efficient ADL completion.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10668160
- **Project number:** 3R43AG071102-01A1S1
- **Recipient organization:** MENTIA DTX, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Mandy Salomon
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $84,862
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2022-09-01 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10668160

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10668160, Assessing a Novel Virtual Environment that Primes Individuals Living with AD/ADRD to Accomplish Activities of Daily Living. (3R43AG071102-01A1S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10668160. Licensed CC0.

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